At age 58, Tim Fuller proved he still knows the path to Super DIRTcar Series Victory Lane.
The Edwards, NY driver led every lap of Thursday’s Stars and Stripes Spectacular at Land of Legends Raceway, holding off Alex Payne on multiple restarts to score his 37th career Series victory.
“(The) pinnacle at this point in my career,” Fuller said. “I’m 58, and I got kids behind me. And [Payne] there, I knew he was in second the whole time. Just to be able to hold him off was good in itself.
“To think I’d come here and win a Series race a few years after the last one is hard to believe.”
Fuller, the SRI Performance at Stock Car Steel Pole Award winner, led the field to the green in the 60-lap battle, outdueling Land of Legends regular Justin Haers to lead the race’s opening lap. Haers challenged Fuller for the first five laps of the race, using the inside lane to try to wrestle the lead away.
Behind the top two, Payne started moving toward the front, working the outside lane to storm past Peter Britten for third on Lap 4.
After the race’s first caution for Mike Trautschold on Lap 6, Payne took advantage of the restart. As Payne battled Haers for second, the Hopewell, NY driver switched lanes to the bottom and used momentum exiting Turn 4 to grab second on Lap 9.
Payne followed Fuller for the next 13 laps but wouldn’t get an opportunity at the lead until Gary Lindberg brought out the race’s second caution on Lap 22.
On the restart, Fuller chose the inside lane, and Payne took advantage, nosing ahead of the No. 19 as they raced down the backstretch. However, the pass was negated due to a caution for Ryan Krachun, who stopped in Turns 1 and 2.
From there, Fuller chose the outside for the remainder of the race, a decision that proved vital to earning the $6,076 prize.
Despite losing out on the first opportunity, Payne got another chance on a restart with 18 laps to go. When the green came back out, Payne thundered ahead of Fuller and looked as though he had finally vanquished his adversary.
But the yellow immediately came back out, as Series officials deemed Payne jumped the start.
Fuller wouldn’t let Payne get that close again, though, as he got a monstrous run off Turn 4 when the race resumed, pulling ahead of the No. 70A for good.
“When my tire cooled down, I thought I was really good,” Fuller said. “Once it got hot, it just kind of stabilized out, but I figured they did, too. I’ve watched Alex run here for the last three or four years, and he’s turned it on the last couple. He had my attention. I peeled off all my tear-offs and said I’m not just going to hand it over, and we got it done.”
Payne settled for second, earning his best Series finish of 2026 and best Series finish at Land of Legends.
In Victory Lane, Payne admitted he jumped the restart, and said he hoped he’d be able to use Turn 4 to pass the veteran.
“That sure wasn’t for a lack of effort,” Payne said. “Man, that was close. That was all we had. Just not much I could’ve done. I thought the restarts could’ve played a little better, and the one restart I jumped a little bit. But there’s no shame to finish second to that guy. I’ve got about five of his Matchbox cars in my room.
“Off of (turn) 4, there was really nothing to grab onto when we fired. And once he realized that, it kind of took my shot away.”
Matt Sheppard crossed the line third, earning his fourth consecutive top five finish.
Alex Yanowski finished fourth after starting 14th. The Covington Township, PA driver faced adversity to earn that finish, starting at the back of his Heat Race after he didn’t go over the scales after Qualifying.
“Kid Rocket” leaves with a 14-point lead over Mat Williamson, who finished 10th.
Peter Britten earned his second straight Series top five with a fifth-place finish.
RACE NOTES:
JAM Performance Fastest Hot Lap Award: Alex Payne
Billy Whittaker Cars and Trux Quick Time Award: Felix Roy
Bicknell Racing Products Heat Race 1 Winner: Felix Roy
DIG Race Products Heat Race 2 Winner: Peter Britten
Wix Filters Heat Race 3 Winner: Alex Payne
The Greatest Store on Dirt.com Heat Race 4 Winner: Darren Smith
SRI Performance/Stock Car Steel Pole Award Winner: Tim Fuller
Behrent’s Performance Wearhouse One Lap to Go: Tim Fuller
UP NEXT: The Super DIRTcar Series kicks off a mid-week doubleheader with a return to Cornwall Motor Speedway in Long Sault, ON, on Tuesday, July 7, for the O’Canada 75.
How can you watch the Super DIRTcar Series? Live on DIRTVision.
Stars and Stripes Spectacular (60 Laps): 1. 19-Tim Fuller[1]; 2. 70A-Alex Payne[4]; 3. 9S-Matt Sheppard[6]; 4. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[14]; 5. 21A-Peter Britten[5]; 6. 2-Jack Lehner[7]; 7. 91-Felix Roy[3]; 8. 3-Justin Haers[2]; 9. 25-Erick Rudolph[12]; 10. 88-Mat Williamson[9]; 11. 12-Darren Smith[8]; 12. 35-Mike Mahaney[20]; 13. 27-Tanner Van Doren[22]; 14. 83X-Tim Sears Jr[10]; 15. 98H-Jimmy Phelps[13]; 16. 4-Anthony Perrego[21]; 17. 15X-Justin Stone[18]; 18. 6-Matt Stangle[16]; 19. 29-Ryan Krachun[19]; 20. 17-Marcus Dinkins[25]; 21. 7M-Paul Mancini[26]; 22. (DNF) 1-Tyler Dippel[23]; 23. (DNF) 32R-Ronnie Davis III[17]; 24. (DNF) 37S-Gary Lindberg[11]; 25. (DNF) 88D-David Allen[24]; 26. (DNF) 28-Michael Trautschold[15]
Bonuses:
Jam Performance Fastest Hot Lap Award –Alex Payne– $100
Billy Whittaker Cars and Trux Quick Time Award – Felix Roy- $100
VP Racing Fuels Award (8th) –Justin Haers– $50
ARP Award(4th) – Matt Sheppard– $50
ASI Racewear Award (11th)- Darren Smith – $50
Behrent’s One Lap to Go Award –Tim Fuller – $50
Cometic Gasket Award (12th)- Mike Mahaney– $50
Comp Cams Award (10th)- Erick Rudolph- $50
DIG Race Products (9th)-Erick Rudolph– $50
Fox Factory Award (3rd) –Matt Sheppard- $50
MSD Award (5th)- Jack Lehner – $50
Swift Springs Award (6th)-Jack Lehner– $50
Hoosier Racing Tire Award –Darren Smith- Free Tire
SRI Performance and Stock Car Steel Pole Award –Tim Fuller- $100
POST RACE TECH: Durometer was used on the right front, Driveshafts, yokes and torque arms were checked. All cars passed.
This article was republished with permission from the Super DIRTcar Series. The original article can be found here: https://superdirtcarseries.com/recap/fullers-legendary-night-tim-fuller-holds-off-alex-payne-for-land-of-legends-victory/
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